Snow, Memories and Tongues
by Jediempress
Summary: It's the first snowfall of the season and Riku and Sora recall their first encounters with winter. Features Cloud... and puppies playing in snow. Written for a contest, I don't own the characters.


Obviously I don't own these guys.

* * *

Snow, Memories and Tongues

"Hey, Ku!" Sora exclaimed in a bright tone. "It's starting to snow!"

Riku glanced over as his best friend threw open the back door and walked out onto the porch. He shut off the tap and set aside the plate he had been rinsing with a light smile. Looking down at the tile floor, he lifted an eyebrow," You guys wanna play in the snow?"

The puppies lying under the kitchen table both raised their heads. Zack jumped up first and scampered toward the open door. A moment later, Seph also got up and headed over. The grey dog paused near Riku's feet, turning his face up to gaze at him before joining Sora and the other puppy outside.

Smiling to himself, Riku followed after him. Sora was standing near the screen door, hands on the wire mesh and watching as a steady flow of large snowflakes drifted lazily to the ground. The puppies sat at his feet, also observing the falling white. Zack made a few excited noises and squirmed in place while Seph took a few quick glances between Riku and outside.

"I think they want to go out and play in it," Riku noted in amusement.

"Well, yeah," laughed Sora, turning to face the older of them. "This is the first time they've even seen snow."

"Heh," Riku shifted his attention outside. A few seconds passed and a thoughtful expression formed on his face. "You know, I've watched the snow fall at least a dozen times now and it never ceases to amaze me."

"Yeah," agreed Sora. He smiled as a large flake stuck itself to the screen in front of him. He lifted his hand and poked at it with his index finger. "The first time I saw snow was in the mountains in Land of the Dragons. It totally amazed me, all that frozen white stuff covering almost everything. And it was cold but not as much as I thought it should be…"

"It was the wind in those mountains that made it cold. Outside the mountains the temperature was pretty mild." Riku rubbed his bare forearms with his hands. "Unlike here where it's freezing. You would think after being here for three winters I'd be more used to it."

Sora nodded. "I don't think either of us are ever gonna really get used to it. I would have froze to death in Christmas Town if Donald hadn't cast a spell the repelled the cold."

"My first winter here…" Riku trailed off then chuckled. "I was convinced I was going to die of hypothermia. The castle was drafty and the few blankets I found were rotting and smelled… I probably would have frozen if it hadn't been for Cloud."

"I bet." The spiky-brunet set his blue eyes on another large flake that had hit the screen.

The pair fell quiet for a short span. The puppies were still watching the falling snow, Zack whimpering occasionally. There was a comfortable stillness to the moment.

"Hey, you know what we should do?" Sora suddenly grinned as he turned toward Riku. "We should take these guys outside!" He squatted down before the dogs. "You wanna go play in the snow?"

Zack reared up, barking once happily. Seph looked to the teen then walked toward the screen door. The black puppy hurried after him, accidentally running into the grey one. Seph nipped at his ear which he ignored as he began pawing at the door.

"I need to get a-" Riku stopped talking as his jacket suddenly appeared in front of him. He glanced over to find Cloud giving him an amused smile.

"The pups didn't come greet me when I came in and then I saw you two out here," the blond held out another jacket for Sora. "I knew exactly where that was leading."

Sora took the offered jacket, threw it on and pushed open the door. "Okay, guys! Time to play in the snow!"

Zack and Seph flew outside, Sora right on their heels. There was just enough accumulation to make the grass white and the dogs poked around for a bit before realizing they could catch the snow before it hit the ground. Soon they were randomly snapping at the little ice crystals and shaking their heads in reaction when a flake would get them in the eyes.

Riku put his own jacket on and moved over to Cloud. His lover brushed his cheek with the back of his hand. "This stuff still amazes you, doesn't it?"

"It probably always will." He gave the blond man a quick kiss then joined the three frolicking in the snowfall. Zack bounded over to him, ran around his feet and headed back to Sora and Seph.

"Hey, Ku?" Sora threw his head back as he asked.

"What?" Riku stepped out onto the yard, tiny flecks of white instantly melding to his hair. Cloud also had come out but was content to remain at the steps.

"Have you ever tried catching the snow with your tongue?" The younger teen opened his mouth and went after one of the larger flakes near him. "Goofy introduced me to that the first time I was in the snow."

Cloud chuckled, folding his arms. "Riku ran around like a kid without a care in the world the first time he saw falling snow. I probably should have been bothered by the reminder of how much younger he is but I just couldn't help but think how free he looked."

Riku lifted an eyebrow at him and his cheeks grew a bit red. Whether it was from the cold or a blush was anyone's guess.

"Aw," Sora cooed obnoxiously. Seph and Zack romped past him, mouths snapping at the snow and he went back to his question. "So have you tried catching the snow with your tongue?"

"I think everyone does at some point, Sora." Riku noted, watching as Sora attempted to do the activity he was asking about.

"Well come out here and we'll see who's better at it." Sora flicked his tongue at a bit of snow, which melted against it almost instantly. "Though I've got to warn you I got pretty darn good at it."

"Riku's good with his tongue." The named young man turned to find his lover smirking at him. "Catching snowflakes is somewhere in the top five things he's best at with it."

Sora studied him for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't even want to know what the other four are."

Riku shot Cloud a look that the older man only smiled at. The couple held their gaze for another moment then Cloud waved Riku off. "Go play."

The silvered one grinned and jogged off to join Sora and the dogs. Soon all four were moving about, trying to catch snow on their tongues and it fell heavily around them. The two humans occasionally shoved at one another to keep one from getting their intended flake. Closer to the ground, Zack and Seph did the same.

Cloud watched them for about twenty minutes. Even though his own memories of snow were not very pleasant, he adored watching his young lover make new ones. It really was something to see how the two Destiny Islands natives reacted to it.

Nearly an inch coated the lawn now and Cloud reluctantly went into the house. Riku and Sora would likely be getting too cold to stay out there soon. He better have hot chocolate waiting for them.


End file.
